Underground Music Collectivehttps://undergroundmusiccollective.com
Music reviews, industry news, and artist features, meant to inspire you to #GoBeyond!Mon, 19 Nov 2018 16:59:34 +0000en-UShourly1https://i1.wp.com/undergroundmusiccollective.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/cropped-UMC-Logo.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1Underground Music Collectivehttps://undergroundmusiccollective.com
3232102369570Hot Takes: Leaving a Live Music ‘Tip’https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/19/hot-takes-leaving-a-live-music-tip/
https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/19/hot-takes-leaving-a-live-music-tip/#respondMon, 19 Nov 2018 16:59:34 +0000https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/?p=29370The above photo has been circulating on social media since September 2015 and, somehow, it finally came across our desk just recently. The idea of a “live music tip” being built into a venue patron’s bill is not necessarily a new concept.

With that said, it is certainly one worth considering, and it could be beneficial across the board.

Often, business establishments have concerns about budgeting for live entertainment, while musicians rightfully want to be paid for the services they provide. This does its part to address both issues. By including a live music tip option in the bill, the onus falls less on the business to foot the entirety of the bill, thus increasing their profits while also making sure musicians are compensated. Meanwhile, it engages patrons by bringing to light the fact that there are musicians right in front of them, working to provide them entertainment.

I say “the entirety of the bill,” because this idea does come with the variable that every establishment has slow nights where patrons are scarce. Also, the fact remains that bad tippers do exist in the world. So, the most surefire way for this to work — and for everyone to end up happy — is for the venue to offer the musicians a base rate, and allow them to collect tips on top.

That’s our take. What’s yours?

Have you seen a “live music tip” system in action before?

Does it work?

What potential challenges do you see in this system?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments!

]]>https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/19/hot-takes-leaving-a-live-music-tip/feed/029370Give Thanks: The Latest #UMC20 Playlist is Here!https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/19/give-thanks-the-latest-umc20-playlist-is-here/
https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/19/give-thanks-the-latest-umc20-playlist-is-here/#respondMon, 19 Nov 2018 15:52:28 +0000https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/?p=29368It makes sense to us to start the week with a fresh batch of independent tunes of any genre, from any location. So, your UMC20 playlist will be updated every Monday from here on out!

With Thanksgiving week upon us, we certainly have plenty to be thankful for. So do our ears, as we can hear by taking an auditory stroll through the 20 tracks that await you. Some of these are songs (or artists) we’ve covered recently, while others were submitted to us. Then, there are a few that we just felt like including, for the heck of it.

Either way, here it is! If you want to be considered for future inclusion on a #UMC20 playlist, send us an email with your Spotify links!

]]>https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/19/give-thanks-the-latest-umc20-playlist-is-here/feed/029368PHOTOS: Billy Bauer Band and Cubbage at Musikfest Cafe (Dave Matthews Band Tribute)https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/17/photos-billy-bauer-band-and-cubbage-at-musikfest-cafe-dave-matthews-band-tribute/
https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/17/photos-billy-bauer-band-and-cubbage-at-musikfest-cafe-dave-matthews-band-tribute/#respondSun, 18 Nov 2018 00:14:43 +0000https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/?p=29325We came back to Pennsylvania for the Thanksgiving holiday, and just in time — because a night of stellar musicianship was in-store for us upon our return to Bethlehem.

Christmas City natives Billy Bauer Band held their annual Dave Matthews Band tribute show at Musikfest Cafe at SteelStacks, selling out the room for another year in a row as they played favorites from the contemporary jam band alongside choice selections from their own catalog, including recent single, “So I Love.”

Opening the night was the soulful Cubbage, who came out in trio form on Friday night to warm up an already-hot crowd. The band, led by namesake and frontman Anthony Cubbage, dazzled with their versatility and musicianship, starting with upcoming single “Secrets,” all the way through set closer, the jazz-pop banger, “Beautiful Night.”

Then, it came time for the evening’s headliners, who arrived as a six-piece Friday night with the additions of contributing members Bobby Siegfried (keys) and Garrett Powell (sax). Bauer’s impressive vocal register was on full display as the band progressed through a set that offered DMB standards like the popular “Ants Marching” and “Crash,” as well as rarities, like Bauer’s stripped-down, solo rendition of “Long Black Veil.”

Electric violinist Chris Lorenzetti also stood out on this night, playing off the audience and his bandmates all night long to deliver an ambient, otherworldly energy that has become this band’s X-factor.

]]>https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/17/photos-billy-bauer-band-and-cubbage-at-musikfest-cafe-dave-matthews-band-tribute/feed/029325PREMIERE: Chelsea Lyn Meyer – Lying to Myselfhttps://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/16/premiere-chelsea-lyn-meyer-lying-to-myself/
https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/16/premiere-chelsea-lyn-meyer-lying-to-myself/#respondFri, 16 Nov 2018 11:18:53 +0000https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/?p=29310Bright sounds and power chords are the hallmarks of “Lying to Myself,” the new alt-rock anthem from Chelsea Lyn Meyer.

The single – Meyer’s second of the year, following the successful release of “Hangover” earlier in 2018 – laments the difficulty so many of us face in moving past our prior relationships. It does this while employing a catchy, soaring chorus and Yellowcard-esque guitar tones, providing an optimistic tone to a tale of working through the heartache of a love lost.

Here at UMC, we’re proud to premiere “Lying to Myself.” Get your first listen below!

]]>https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/16/premiere-chelsea-lyn-meyer-lying-to-myself/feed/029310PHOTOS: Stephen Babcock and Luca Di Fabio at The Local (Nashville, TN)https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/15/photos-stephen-babcock-and-luca-di-fabio-at-the-local-nashville-tn/
https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/2018/11/15/photos-stephen-babcock-and-luca-di-fabio-at-the-local-nashville-tn/#respondFri, 16 Nov 2018 02:04:43 +0000https://undergroundmusiccollective.com/?p=29283While we were in Nashville this past week, we got to #GoUnderground there for the first time — and our first glimpse of Music City’s original scene lived up to expectations.

The setting was The Local, located on N. 28th Ave. near Vanderbilt University. The evening of music was put on by The Nashville Masquerade, a local rock series presenting up-and-coming acts from Nashville and beyond.

As for the talent? We had the opportunity to check out two of the night’s performers — and would have stuck around longer, if not for a looooong drive back to Pennsylvania in the morning. The first of whom, Stephen Babcock, joined us from New York City and brought intricate guitar work and heartfelt songwriting to the stage for about a half-hour set that included new single, “The Guy That Says Goodbye to You is Out of His Mind.” Babcock’s music certainly skews toward country, while holding its own quite well in pop territory to remain accessible for the room’s diverse and attentive listening audience.

Then, it came time for Luca Di Fabio, and let’s just say this — this band is tight. In addition to that, the band’s collective energy and onstage chemistry brings additional life to Di Fabio’s songs, while the singer/guitarist himself is a unique and engaging presence at the front of the stage. Also notable is the songwriting; the band can deliver a tender, heart-wrenching ballad (“I’ll Call When I’m Fine”) just as readily as it can burn it down with the full rock and roll pageantry of set closer “International Boy.” They’re definitely one to watch as we make our way down to Nashville on a more permanent basis.